Members of a local organization dawned their leathers and filled a Kelowna courtroom to provide support to a grieving mother as details outlining the incestual abuse that her daughter suffered were read to the court.
The father, who cannot be named due to a publication ban protecting his daughter, will be referred to as John Doe.
Doe, the mother’s former partner and the father to the young girl has entered a guilty plea for charges of invitation to sexual touching and sexual interference and for creating child sexual abuse material of his daughter.
In court on Nov. 29, the mother of the young girl read a powerful victim impact statement to the full courtroom as part of the sentencing submissions by the Crown.
Doe is not in custody and was seated in the courtroom while she read the statement.
“I have faced an indescribable horror… My baby was harmed and I will never excuse him for what he did…He preyed on the one little girl who loved and trusted him more than anyone else in this world,” said the mother.
Her daughter is alleged to have been assaulted between the ages of one and four, beginning in 2021.
The mother told the courtroom about the horror, shock and devastation that she felt when she found evidence of incestual pedophilia on Doe’s phone, which included detailed text messages of abuse and sexual abuse material of her daughter.
The mother explained that Doe manipulated her insecurities into thinking that there was something wrong with her in order to continue the abuse without her knowledge.
“I trusted him so deeply.”
Five members of a local chapter of an organization called the Urban Bulldogs Against Kid Abuse filled the courtroom with a strong presence to support the mother.
The Canadian organization supports survivors of abuse and works to stop harm to children.
The mother said that now, she struggles to look at her young daughter’s baby photos. She said that every happy memory is tainted with the knowledge that sexual abuse had been ongoing.
She ended her statement by addressing Doe.
“You have selfishly and irrevocably changed her. She will never be the person she was meant to be because you took that away from her…You no longer have control over us. Good riddance.”
The Crown prosecutor has requested imprisonment of nine years, noting that the multiple instances of abuse, the lasting impact, grooming behaviours, and the young age of the daughter are aggravating factors.
Crown also stated that a psychological assessment of Doe revealed that he is at moderate risk of re-offending again.
During the assessment, Doe allegedly said that he would likely have continued to offend if he was not caught.
Crown said that during the assessment, Doe claimed that he was not sexually attracted to his daughter. Rather, he said that his behaviours were motivated by a curiosity about incest and were further encouraged by an online social group that he was a part of.
He allegedly said that he was not sexually interested in children but had fantasies of father/ daughter relationships.
Before the court was adjourned for the day, Doe was allowed to address the court.
“I just want to express how deeply sorry I am. I take full responsibility. I am grateful that [my daughter] has a great, strong mom.”
The judge has reserved his decision on sentencing until the new year.
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